Baked Ham Shank
Published April 16, 2025 • Updated March 8, 2026
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This baked ham shank uses just one surprising ingredient, apple cider vinegar, to create tender, tangy, fall-apart meat your family will request every holiday. I've been making this for years and it's become our non-negotiable Easter tradition.
I make this ham every Easter, and it’s become the one thing my family would riot over if I skipped it. One bottle of apple cider vinegar. No glaze, no rub, no extra seasoning. Just pour it over the ham, cover tightly with foil, and walk away. The first time I served this, my sister-in-law looked at me like I was joking when I told her there was nothing else on it. She didn’t believe me until she tasted it.
Here’s how it works. You place the ham in a roasting pan, pour an entire bottle of apple cider vinegar over it, cover it tightly, and let it bake low and slow at 325 degrees. As it cooks, the vinegar creates steam that soaks into the meat and delivers a deep, tangy flavor that balances the natural saltiness. The result is juicy, fall-apart tender meat with a subtle zing that keeps everyone reaching for more.
I’ve made this probably 20 times over the years, and without fail, someone always asks for the recipe. My husband, who usually doesn’t care for ham, looks forward to this one. One thing I learned after a few rounds: pour the vinegar around the sides of the ham, not just the bottom of the pan. The steam needs to reach the whole surface, and when I started doing this, the top half came out just as tender as the bottom. A reader named Corinne confirmed the same thing independently, which tells me it’s not just my oven.
No measuring, no mixing, no stress. I love this recipe because I can get it in the oven and then focus on everything else on the table. If you’re eating keto or low carb, ham is already a great protein pick since it’s naturally high in fat and has zero carbs on its own. I usually round out the holiday spread with something like braised short ribs or bacon wrapped pork chops when I want a second protein option. And despite how hands-off this is, the flavor is anything but boring. Sometimes the simplest approach really does win.
The leftovers are almost better than the main event. I slice whatever’s left and keep it wrapped tight in the fridge all week. Cold slices straight out of the fridge, chopped into eggs in the morning, folded into a breakfast scramble, piled onto crustless pizza, or stuffed into cheese taco shells. I’ve gotten five dinners out of a single 10-pounder. If you’re meal prepping for the week, one ham covers a lot of ground.
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Ingredients
10 lb half ham shank (smoked & cured) -
16 oz apple cider vinegar
-
aluminum foil
Step by Step Instructions
Step by Step Instructions
Add the secret ingredient
Remove ham from packaging, discard any fluids and place on the rack. Pour in apple cider vinegar.
- 10 lb ham shank
- 16 oz apple cider vinegar
Nutrition disclaimer
The nutrition information provided is an estimate and is for informational purposes only. I am a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.); however, this content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or other qualified health provider before making any lifestyle changes or beginning a new nutrition program.
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Get My Macros + Recipes →Frequently Asked Questions
How do you know when ham is done cooking?
I go by internal temperature. For a fully cooked ham shank, you're really just warming it through and letting the vinegar do its thing, so I pull it when my thermometer reads about 140 degrees in the thickest part. You'll also notice the meat pulling away from the bone slightly and it'll feel tender when you press on it. I usually check around the 2.5 hour mark and go from there.
Will the ham taste too vinegary?
Not at all. I was worried about this the first time too, but the vinegar mellows completely as it cooks. What you end up with is the slightest tang that offsets the salty, smoky flavor from the cured ham. My husband, who is suspicious of anything 'different,' couldn't even identify what made it taste so good. The vinegar just brightens everything without taking over.
Can I use a different type of vinegar?
I've only ever used apple cider vinegar for this and I wouldn't change it. The mild fruitiness of ACV complements ham perfectly. I tried white vinegar once on a whim and it was noticeably sharper, almost too acidic. Rice vinegar would probably be too mild to do much. Stick with apple cider vinegar. It's what makes this recipe work.
Can I add a glaze with the vinegar method?
You could, but I don't. The whole point of this recipe is that the apple cider vinegar handles the flavor on its own. If you want a little extra something, I'd brush on a thin layer of sugar-free mustard during the last 30 minutes of baking. But every time I've served this without a glaze, nobody has missed it.
Can I use this method for spiral-cut ham?
I'd stick with a whole shank or butt portion. Spiral-cut hams are pre-sliced, so the vinegar steam can't penetrate the same way. They also tend to dry out faster since all those cuts let moisture escape. With a whole ham, the outside stays sealed while the vinegar works its way in during those three hours. That's where the juiciness comes from.
Can I make this in a slow cooker or crockpot?
I've done this in the slow cooker and it works. Pour in all 16 oz of apple cider vinegar, set it to low, and let it go for about 8 hours. The fall-apart texture is there, but you won't get any browning on the outside. No foil needed since the slow cooker traps the steam the same way the covered roasting pan does. I still prefer the oven because I like that slightly caramelized exterior, but if oven space is tight on a holiday, the slow cooker gets you most of the way there.
How do I reduce the saltiness of cured ham?
I soak it. If I get a ham that runs particularly salty, I submerge it in cold water for 12 to 24 hours before baking, changing the water every 4 to 6 hours. I've done this once with a picnic ham that was almost inedibly salty straight out of the package, and the soak pulled out enough salt to balance everything. Just pat it completely dry before it goes in the pan so the apple cider vinegar can do its job properly.
How do I know if my ham is precooked or raw?
Check the label. If it says 'fully cooked' or 'ready to eat,' it's precooked and just needs to be warmed through. That's what you want for this recipe. If the label says 'cook before eating' or 'fresh,' it's raw and needs to reach an internal temp of 145 degrees minimum. I learned this the hard way when I accidentally bought a raw pork shoulder thinking it was ham. The texture and flavor were completely wrong. Most bone-in hams labeled 'smoked' or 'cured' in the refrigerated section are precooked. When in doubt, ask the butcher.
Made this for Easter Sunday and my brother-in-law is the reason I'm writing this. He's been keto for two years and has his own ham recipe he makes every holiday, so I figured he'd eat it and be polite. He finished his second piece and asked what I put in the bottom of the pan, and when I said apple cider vinegar he put his fork down. Just that? The meat was completely fall-apart tender in a way I've never actually pulled off before, and the foil kept everything from drying out the way ham usually does in our oven. He told my husband I should have been making this the whole time instead of letting him bring his version. Freaking apple cider vinegar.
One thing that helped: pour the apple cider vinegar around the sides of the ham, not just the bottom. First time I made this most of it pooled underneath and the top half didn't get nearly as tender. Second time I tilted the pan to distribute it before sealing the foil and the difference in how it pulled apart was noticeable. Easter dinner sorted.
That tilt is smart. I swirl the vinegar around before sealing without really thinking about it, just never put it in the recipe. Good thing to know going in.
I have never made a ham before in my life and I picked this one for Easter because I liked that the ingredient list was basically nothing. The apple cider vinegar had me nervous the whole time it was baking (I kept checking the oven, half convinced I had somehow messed it up), but when I pulled the foil back the meat was just falling away from the bone. I literally did not know ham could do that. Making this again for a church potluck in a few weeks because I need something big enough to feed a crowd and I actually trust this one now.
The vinegar nerves are real. Nobody believes it until they pull the foil back. For the potluck, figure one shank per 8-10 people and you're covered.
I've tried probably four other baked ham shank recipes and none of them got the meat this tender. The apple cider vinegar is doing something I can't fully explain but I'm not questioning it. This is the one.
Four recipes is real dedication. The ACV thing, I've made this probably 20 times and still couldn't tell you exactly why it works the way it does. Just does.
We're doing Easter at our house this year for the first time, 30 people (send help). If I do two 10 lb shanks at once, do I double the apple cider vinegar straight across or does liquid not scale the same way?
16 oz per shank. Separate foil packets so each one steams on its own.
We don't own a roasting pan (I know, I know) and I've been wanting to try this for weeks. Could I do it in the slow cooker with apple cider vinegar and still get that fall-apart texture, or does it really need the oven?
Slow cooker works for this. Pour in all 16 oz of ACV, then I'd go low for 8 hours. Fall-apart texture is there, just no browning on the outside. No foil needed either, the slow cooker holds the steam the same way.
Making this for Easter next month. I've always done spiral hams because they're easy to carve, but this looks way better. How does carving a shank work compared to a spiral cut? Do I need a specific knife or technique?
Carving's easier than spiral. Let it rest 15 minutes, then slice perpendicular to the bone in quarter-inch slices. A regular sharp carving knife works fine. The shank bone runs straight through so you just cut down until you hit it, then slide the knife along to release. Way more control than trying to follow pre-cut lines.
Made this as a test for my Christmas Dinner and it turned out so good. I love the flavor the apple cider vinegars brings. I might try to add some cloves when I make it for Christmas dinner.
Cloves would be good with the vinegar tang. I'd stick maybe 8-10 in the fat cap before it goes in, not more or it gets medicinal.